Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between meniscus compression and the severity of knee osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study included 95 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to July 2023, who were grouped into slight protrusion of meniscus group (n = 48) and severe protrusion of meniscus group (n = 47) according to the degree of meniscal extrusion. Various parameters, including Kellgren/Lawrence classification, imaging findings, cartilage damage grading, physical function assessments, and correlation analyses, were used to evaluate the relationship between meniscal extrusion and disease progression. RESULTS: The study revealed significant associations between severe meniscal extrusion and measures of disease severity, including reduced cartilage thickness(3.24 ± 0.61 versus 3.78 ± 1.45; P = 0.019), increased meniscus degeneration grade (2.86 ± 0.54 versus 2.23 ± 1.63; P = 0.013), diminished joint space width (4.56 ± 0.73 versus 4.86 ± 0.52; P = 0.025), elevated meniscal extrusion(3.68 ± 1.78 versus 2.85 ± 1.54; P = 0.018), greater bone marrow lesion volume(6.13 ± 1.85 versus 5.21 ± 1.58; P = 0.011), advanced cartilage damage(t = 0.016), and impaired physical functioning. Correlation analyses indicated a positive relationship between meniscal extrusion and disease severity(r > 0). While the predictive value of meniscal extrusion alone was modest (AUC = 0.617), a combined model integrating various parameters yielded a high predictive value for disease progression (AUC = 0.853). CONCLUSION: Meniscal extrusion was associated with disease severity and functional decline in knee osteoarthritis patients and has potential predictive value for disease progression.